A Scientometric Study on Serious Games in Geriatric Care: Research Trends and Insights

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 3, 291 - 302, 25.07.2025

Azliyana Azizan

https://doi.org/10.33438/ijdshs.1645063

Abstract

The rising global aging population presents significant healthcare challenges, particularly in cognitive decline, physical rehabilitation, and social well-being. Serious games have emerged as an innovative intervention, offering interactive and engaging solutions to enhance cognitive function, mobility, and emotional health in older adults. However, a comprehensive understanding of research trends, key contributors, and thematic developments remains limited. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of serious games in geriatric care using Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus, analyzing 95 unique publications with ScientoPy and VOSviewer. The results indicate a steady increase in research output, with a significant surge post-2020, reflecting growing recognition of serious games as effective geriatric interventions. European countries, particularly Italy, Spain, France, and Germany, lead in research contributions, while Qatar, Greece, and the United States host key institutions driving advancements in this field. A co-occurrence analysis of author keywords identified two primary thematic clusters: (1) Cognitive Health and Neurodegenerative Conditions, focusing on dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and cognitive training, and (2) Aging and Rehabilitation, emphasizing mobility, engagement strategies, and gamification. These findings highlight the interdisciplinary nature of serious games, integrating health sciences, psychology, and digital technologies. This study provides a strategic overview of the field, identifying research gaps, key trends, and emerging directions. The findings offer valuable insights for academics, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, guiding the future development of evidence-based serious game applications to enhance the quality of life for older adults.

Keywords

Serious games , Geriatric care , Cognitive training , Rehabilitation , Digital health interventions.

Ethical Statement

None

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